The Quiet After
by Letters at Midnight
Summary: They aren't afraid, meeting their end. They always run away, made some sort of plan when times got tough, but this isn't a battle they've lost today. {Cassian/Jyn} {Contains spoilers, alternate/extended scene}


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Wars or anything dealing with it. This was simply written to deal with my feelings.

 **Summary:** _They aren't afraid, meeting their end. They always run away, made some sort of plan when times got tough, but this isn't a battle they've lost today._

 **Word count:** 845

 **Author's note:** If you haven't seen Rogue One, then please turn back and come back once you have. It was phenomenal! I'd hate to spoil it for you. This does contains spoilers. You've been warned.

Jyn and Cassian left me with a ton of feelings, like we all have, and I decided to do something about it. Here it is, a slight alternate ending.

Enjoy!

* * *

"We're nearly there," Jyn tells him as they stumble quickly away from the destruction behind them. Already she can feel Cassian weakening, hear his low grunts of pain and feel his warm blood on her hands as they cling together. They wordlessly agreed on making the beach their destination after they felt the familiar wrath of the Death Star hitting its target.

His leg gives out when they reach the shoreline, and she kneels down with him onto the course white sand. They breathe heavily and remain on alert, though they haven't run into a single Stormtrooper since the calm began.

Mere minutes ago, the beach had been a war zone, full of blasters, explosives, and Imperial Fighters firing off. Now, nothing but the quiet waves of the sea-green ocean and the low cackling and rumbling of the planet in the distance fills the air, and they both know what it means, having been through it once before. But this time they won't survive it.

Looking out into the horizon, they see the Death Star towering in the blue smoky sky, but neither of them are worried. To them, it's the end and a start to a new beginning for the tens of thousands of lives they may have saved by getting the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. They won't be there to complete the next mission, destroying the Death Star, but they know someone else, far more worthy than them, will be able to.

Turning away from the graying Death Star, Jyn focuses her attention on Cassian and reaches for his side, but he stops her, catches her hands in his.

"Don't," he says quietly. There's no hopelessness in his voice. "Its no use." His calloused hands squeeze her own comfortingly.

A slight frown tugs at her lips, but she knows he's right. In half a minute, or two minutes, Iwho really knows,/I they will be dead. "At least this will be the last planet they'll destroy," she says, giving him a hopeful smile.

"It will." He feels her grip tighten. "Your father would be proud of you," he tells her, and it's only one of the things he's been wanting to tell her. IHow much he admires her. Cares for her. How sorry he is. How he wants to take her home. See where things go between them./I And now it's all too late.

Seeing her green eyes glimmering in the sunlight takes his breath away. They've only known each other for nearly two weeks, but already she's become a friend, almost family, to him. Cassian reaches out to her, capturing a few strands of her dark hair with his fingers, and brushes the loose strands behind her ear. Despite the piercing pain in his leg and torso and the stiffness in his wrists, he shifts closer to her, their leg and hip pressed together, and his lips ghost over her damp skin, pressing a light kiss to her temple. He lingers before it ends, and when he pulls away, he sees her green eyes looking up at him. His calloused fingers trail down her smooth neck, his thumb coming up to rub her cheek, and he leans closer, his brown eyes gazing at her lips.

Jyn raises a hand to his neck, holding him still, as she leans forward, her lips nearly brushing his. His breath is warm and damp against her skin, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin and her body to tingle. He captures her lips with his, kissing her slowly, softly. Her hands cling to the back of his jacket, and his arms circle around her waist, their bodies close together. He takes his time kissing her, pouring everything he's left unsaid and everything that could be into the kiss.

She breaks the kiss, the taste of dry blood and sand on her cracked lips. She gazes up at his deep brown eyes, and she lets out a breathy sigh and sees Cassian smiling at her. The sounds of growing destruction draws their attention away from each other, then she feels his fingers lace with hers.

Jyn squeezes his hand, then she lets go, her arms wrapping around him, pulling him into a hug. She hears his quiet groan of pain and how ragged his breathing is, and she realizes his injuries might be worse than she previously thought.

Cassian's arms wraps around Jyn's petite frame, and he pulls her tighter against his achy body, breathing her in with the last of his strength. It won't be much longer now, he knows, feeling the ground shake and rumble violently as death looks closer.

They hold on to each other, knowing they are all they have left. They aren't afraid, meeting their end. They always run away, made some sort of plan when times got tough, but this isn't a battle they've lost today. They've already succeeded; they've won this fight and won't live to tell about it. They won't be heard when it ends either, the screams around them and his voice saying her name.


End file.
